Last year we spent more than every other year. We bought everyone nice gifts and spent waaaayyy too much.

This is our first year not buying for anyone but the kids. Well, grandparents are getting a dollar store craft and I'm making ornaments with the kids for some people.... Small dollar items for nieces and nephews, and maybe pics of the kids in everyone's card.
I feel bad not buying for everyone who buys for us, but we really don't have the $, esp with traveling to see everyone

We tend to just focus on the kids every Christmas. I got my mom an inexpensive necklace and earring set last year, and made my step dad a hat, but that's it. I may or may not do anything this year. We enjoy each others company and spoil the heck out of the kids. LOL

We've been blessed with steady work and good pay, but his sister's family hasn't been as fortunate. Everyone buys for the kids, we just skip the adults. Sometimes the gifts are inexpensive, but it always works out. Kites (the inexpensive kind) and pjs (from walmart on black friday; we bought matching for the cousins, which they really loved)are some recent inexpensive ideas we've done.

On my side of the family, no one has exchanged gifts in a long, long time. Od DH side every year my BIL and SIL request that we only buy for the kids because money is tight. That's fine with me - it takes the pressure off of gift giving and we can have fun picking something special out for our niece. SIL usually specifically asks for a couple things, but this year I got her a personalized bag and two new outfits as well .

We never buy gifts for the rest of the families.
We get each of the kids one or two items. Occasionally we will get a gift for each other, but not every year.

The kids will get gifts from my mom & step dad, my dad & step mom usually send gift cards for us (TRU for the kids, Walmart for DH and myself), and my older sister usually sends gifts.

But we don't do gifts in return, I will usually make nice Christmas cards to send out, but I don't think I'm doing that this year. Last year I made photo cards at Walmart.com.. The year before that I hand made cards. This year.. I dunno, we'll see.

God bless!

__________________Christian wife to my hubby, mamma to three little men and a little lady! Send a custom greeting card fromJust Because Stationery!Because you don't need a reason to show you care. Caring is reason enough!!!